Revolutionizing Virtual Nutrition Care: An IT Case Study

Imagine a world where high-quality nutrition care is just a click away, accessible to everyone, regardless of their location or budget. This is the vision driving Culina Health, a pioneering company transforming virtual nutrition care. Founded with the mission to break down barriers to health, Culina Health offers personalized services from registered dietitians, all delivered through a seamless virtual platform.

From the comfort of their homes, patients can access insurance-covered nutrition services or choose affordable out-of-pocket options, ensuring that no one is left behind. This innovative approach places the company at the forefront of the “food as medicine” movement, a rapidly growing sector poised to revolutionize healthcare.

Leveraging cutting-edge technology, Culina Health has created a streamlined process that makes onboarding and care coordination effortless. Their commitment to excellence is evident in their remarkable achievements, such as a recent pilot program where they successfully reversed prediabetes in 100% of participants. This success story is just one example of how Culina Health is changing lives, one patient at a time.

 

 

Navigating Growth and Complexity

As a fast-growing telehealth startup, Culina Health encountered several IT and cybersecurity challenges. With no internal IT team or Chief Security Officer and limited internal resources, they needed to:

• Ensure robust cybersecurity measures to maintain their compliance with HIPAA, Medicare, and Medicaid regulations.
• Manage hardware and device security across a distributed workforce of over 100 dietitians.
• Streamline IT support to handle technical issues and maintain efficient operations.

“Being a telehealth company, we have to have good hygiene around our policies and procedures,” said Vanessa Rissetto, co-founder and CEO at Culina Health. “It was just too much for the internal existing team to take on.”

 

 

Tailored Solutions for a Unique Business

CorCystems provided a comprehensive suite of IT and cybersecurity solutions tailored to Culina Health’s unique needs. The key elements of their solution included:

• Cybersecurity and Compliance: Conducting thorough security risk assessments and audits of HIPAA policies, followed by detailed remediation plans to provide their 3rd party proof of compliance.
• IT Support: Offering a dedicated tech support email for Culina Health employees, managing hardware procurement, and implementing device security protocols.
• Scalable Infrastructure: Designing systems that could support Culina Health’s rapid expansion, ensuring that new dietitians and patients could be onboarded efficiently without compromising security.

“From the very start, they presented us with what they could do, and it matched everything that we needed. It seemed like a home run,” said Vanessa Rissetto.

 

 

Seamless Implementation and Onboarding

The initial onboarding process with CorCystems was smooth and well-coordinated. Regular weekly calls facilitated communication and ensured that any issues were promptly addressed. CorCystems’ team demonstrated exceptional knowledge and identified various gaps in Culina Health’s existing systems, providing immediate solutions.

“They spotted a bunch of different holes that we didn’t know we had,” said Vanessa. “Their approach is very practical, and they always have a solution right away.”

 

 

Overcoming Hardware Challenges

Managing hardware for over 100 dietitians across the country was a significant challenge for Culina Health. 

“Our HR person actually was inundated with all of this hardware management, and she’s not an IT person,” Vanessa described.

CorCystems took charge of this aspect, ensuring all devices were secure and up-to-date. This involved rolling out updates, handling repairs, and replacing faulty equipment.

“We had some bumps, like getting a laptop back with a shattered screen or a keyboard covered in slime, but CorCystems handled it all with professionalism and efficiency,” Vanessa recounted with a laugh.

 

 

Impressive Results and Positive Impact

The partnership with CorCystems yielded significant benefits for Culina Health:

• Enhanced Security and Compliance: Culina Health now has more robust cybersecurity measures in place, which has significantly bolstered trust with their partners. By being able to provide third-party documentation of their compliance, Culina Health has not only strengthened existing relationships but also attracted new investments and secured more deals.
• Operational Efficiency: By offloading IT management to CorCystems, internal staff could focus on their core responsibilities, leading to increased productivity.
• Scalability: CorCystems’ scalable solutions have supported Culina Health’s rapid growth, enabling them to double their business in a year and grow 10% month-over-month.

“From a compliance and security standpoint, it’s really elevated our company,” said Vanessa. “We are now able to confidently go to our biggest partners and show them third-party documentation proving our compliance. This transparency has opened doors for larger partnerships and increased trust from investors.”

 

 

Looking Ahead: A Bright Future

With CorCystems as a trusted partner, Culina Health is well-positioned to continue its expansion and lead the virtual nutrition care industry. The infrastructure and support provided by CorCystems have laid a strong foundation for sustained growth and innovation.

“We are growing really quickly, and having the ability to depend on our systems moving forward helps us scale our care delivery team and patient load,” said Vanessa. “It opens a lot of doors for us.”

Vanessa summarized her feelings about the partnership with this, “It’s been a sigh of relief for me because I have never run a compliance department before. Going from feeling way in over your head to knowing that they’ve got it and they’re a trusted partner is a breath of fresh air. It just takes a lot of weight off of my shoulders as a leader too.”